Folding table, form, and the like.



No. 873,118. PATENTED DEC. 10, 1907 W. & W. J. GASSELS.

FOLDING TABLE, FORM, AND THB LIKH APPLICATION FILED OGTJ, 1906.

THE NORRIS PEIERS co., wAsunvcrom n. c.

UNrrnp rnn'r rrion.

FOLDING TABLE, FORM, AND THE LIKE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 10, 1907.

Application filed October 1. 1906- Serial No. 336.946.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, NVILLIAM OAssELs and WILLIAM JAMES OASSELS, subjects of the King of Great Britain and. Ireland, and both residing at 16 Lincoln street, Sloane Square, S. W'., in the county of London, England, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Folding Tables, Forms, and the Like, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in tables, forms and the like, especially suitable for catering and similar purposes, and capa ble of being folded into a small compass. The said. table consists of a suitable board or top of any size or shape, to the underside of which are fixed wood or metal strengthening battens across each end of the same. Alongside of these battens are hinged or pivoted to the board or top suitable wooden or metal legs or supports formed with upper and lower cross-bars. These legs are held in a rigid extended position by stays or struts consisting preferably of metal bars, one of which is attached at one end to the upper cross-bar of one pair of legs, while the other end is at tached to the lower cross-bar of the opposite pairs of legs, the other stay being similarly attached so that the two cross and bear against each other centrally of the table. These stays or struts are formed at each end with a cross slot or recess for the passage therethrough of a screw or stud fixing the same to the cross-bars and preventing the shifting of the legs. The upper and lower studs are provided with ordinary or wing nuts which may be kept permanently in position by flattening or expanding the ends of said studs.

For folding the cable the stays are removed and held beneath the board or top by passing one of their ends through an opening in one of the battens and securing their other ends by a nut engaging with a screw stud or bolt fixed to the opposite batten and. passing through the slots at the said ends. The table may be provided with an extra shelf resting upon the lower cross-bars of the legs and slotted at each end for the passage of the stays or struts therethrough. The legs may be made adjustable in length by fitting thereto sliding wooden or metal pieces or plates formed with a longitudinal slot through which passes a screw pin, fixed to the leg, and fitted with a nut for fixing the j piece or plate so as to project below or to be P on a level with the ends of the legs or supports. The faces of these plates may be marked with divisions indicating inches for i equally adjusting the same. In the accompanying drawings Figure 1, represents a side elevation, partly in section, I of our improved. table in its extended or erect positiornFig. 2 is an end elevation thereof, Fig. 3 is a plan, from underneath, of the j table in its folded state. Fig. 4 is a plan of one of the stays. Figs. 5 and 6 are respec- E tively a side elevation and cross section of the leg adjustment.

a is the board or top of the table, and b, b are the cross battens fixed underneath the same.

0, c are the legs or supports, hinged at d to the board a, and each formed with an upper cross-bar e and a lower cross-barf.

g, g are the metal bars forming the stays or struts, and provided at each end with a cross-slot or recess h, as shown in Fig. 4 of the drawings.

01, '2', are the screw studs fixed to the crossbars, and with which the slots h engage, for attaching the ends of the stays to the crossbars by means of the nuts, 1', y, the ends of the studs being preferably expanded for preventing the removal and loss of the nuts.

i, j are plates let into the woodwork for protecting the same from wear. I) is formed with an opening I) fitted with the protecting plate b for receiving one end of the stays 9 when the table is in its folded position, the other end of the stays being held by the screw-stud k fixed to the batten b and passing through the slots h at this end, the nut is being screwed down on the stays to hold them in position.

Z is the extra shelf for the use of attendants or otherwise, and resting at each end upon the lower cross-bars f of the legs, the said shelf being provided with battens Z bearing against the bars f to prevent shifting. The shelf is formed with end slots or recesses Z through which the stays pass, thus holding the same in position. The lengths of each of the legs may be adjusted by means of the plates m, forming feet, and fixed to the legs by a screw or bolt n see Figs. 5 and 6 which are respectively a side elevation and a cross section, the latter showing the plate or foot extended. This screw is secured to the leg 0 and passes through a longitudinal slot 0 The batten wing or other nut p for fixing the plate in the desired position.

9 is the metal strip fixed to the leg and engaging with the slot 0 for guiding the plate in its sliding adjustment. The plate is formed with a plate 0 extending underneath the leg and serving as a foot or support, and it is adjusted to the desired distance below the end of the leg by loosening the nut p and sliding the plate downwards to the said dis tance where it is again secured by tightening up the nut.

1" is a washer or face plate which may be countersunk into the leg and serves as a bearing surface for the sliding plate, and 1" is a washer between the nut and the plate for receiving the pressure.

For folding the table the legs are turned up against the underside of the board or top a after removing the stays g by loosening the nuts as aforesaid, the stays being laid together and sec ured to one side of the board by the nut 7c, asshown in Fig. 3, and the legs being held in position by the buttons 8 or other fastenings.

By means of this invention tables may be fitted up or fixed. and unfixed very expeditiously, and folded or packed into a small compass to facilitate transport, and are stronger and more rigid than ordinary or any folding tables.

Having now fully described the nature of our said invention, what we claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 2 1. The improvements in folding tables, forms and the like, comprising a board or top provided at its ends with cross battens and hinged legs, metal'bars or stays crossing each other and fixed at each end, by screw nuts and studs engaging with slots in the ends of the same, to cross-bars forming part of the legs or support, a screw stud and nut fixed to one of the battens, and an opening formed in the other batten for receiving the ends of the stays and holding them in their folded position underneath the board or top, substantially as described.

2. In folding tables fitted with hinged legs or supports, the combination therewith of slotted adjustable plates or feet fixed by a screw and nut to the lower end of each leg and guided by a metal strip engaging with the said slot for adjusting the lengths of the legs, substantially as described.

In witness whereof we have hereunto set our hands in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

WILLIAM CASSELS. WILLIAM JAMES OASSELS. 

